Samoorai Yak
by Nroque18
Summary: To find Egg Foo Yung and the next piece of Marco Pollo's map, Matt and his crew need to win the favor of the Yakooza in MooShu by undermining the rule of the corrupt samoorai warlord, General Tso in any way they can. The eleventh installment of Pirate Legacy.
1. Chapter 1: Zhu Ro, My Hero

**Samoorai Yak**

**Chapter One**

**Zhu Ro, My Hero**

"Back from Cool Ranch, I see! Did you find Clark's piece of the map?" Captain Avery asked us as we stood inside his office on Skull Island.

"Aye, we did, and trouble too - the Armada was there, and almost took it from us!" Ratbeard answered.

"Then it's as I feared. We're not on a search for Marco Pollo's map - we're in a race. You keep the pieces - the Armada won't find it on the move." Captain Avery said.

"Sadly, now that we have Gunn's and Clark's pieces of the Map, I don't know where to look for the next one."

"Here, show him the photograph." Bonnie whispered to me, and I nodded as I brought out the photograph and handed it to Captain Avery.

"What's this? A photograph - I know these faces! So young. Erika the Red, Egg Foo Yung! Even Catbeard! I wonder if..." Captain Avery said, chuckling.

"Clark and Pollo each had a piece - these pirates must have the rest! Seven pirates, seven pieces! Now we know where to look!"

"So, Catbeard has a piece of the map. Egg Foo Yung too... Proposition: I'll talk to Catbeard, you go on to MooShu. We'll get two pieces at once!"

"There's a stormgate to MooShu near Port Regal. Egg Foo Yung is the Pirate Lord of MooShu. I'll wager he holds the next piece of Marco Pollo's map."

"The Samoorai won't any but their own ships through the gate. The _Santo Oro_'s a MooShu junk - you've got a golden ticket!"

"Egg is not an easy bird to find, but I know someone who can help: Zhu Ro, proprietor of a reputable teahouse in Hamamitsu, the only port foreigners can visit. Going anywhere else is trespassing, punishable by death! Good luck, Matthew, and you too, Captain Raden."

We all nodded as we stood up from the carved wooden chairs inside Captain Avery's office, and within the hour, the _Santo Oro _was ready to set sail.

While we were on Skull Island, Rena had recruited several men to crew the _Santo Oro_, now armed with sixteen heavy iron cannons.

As for the _Aquila, _I had left herin the temporary command of David Clutterbuck as a privateer for Captain Avery, and told him in no uncertain terms that if he was to abandon the _Aquila _to sink, I'd make him go down with her when I came back.

Anyway, we were soon underway to Port Regal, where we would be taking the stormgate to MooShu. My trusted associates, excluding Rena, and I were just passengers for now aboard the _Santo Oro_, as we didn't want to undermine Rena's authority.

As the _Santo Oro _neared the stormgate, Rena pressed the green windstone installed into the pilot's wheel, and the _Santo Oro _was surrounded by a transparent force field that would protect it from the winds of the stormgate.

An officer issued orders for tacking to the men, while Rena constantly adjusted the _Santo Oro_ according to the constantly shifting winds.

As we reached the bottom of the stormgate, we all tied ourselves down, and she leaned forward as we entered, so that the deck was nearly vertical while the winds howled in our ears.

My eyes were closed and my heart was beating rapidly, as if it were trying to achieve a lifetime's worth of heartbeats before what could be the end, but then the ship suddenly righted herself.

As I opened my eyes, it was as if we were traveling through a dark tunnel illuminated by the light at the end and the sky blue auroras surrounding us like a loose glowing braid.

As we neared the light at the end and entered the stormgate on the other side, the deck went almost vertical again as the wind howled in our ears, but then the _Santo Oro _righted herself, and as we were out of reach of the stormgate, I breathed a sigh of relief.

As we passed by the MooShu junks blockading the stormgate to Skull Island, the gunnery officers opened the bulkhead doors at the base of the main mast, and the men poured out from below decks.

"Set course for Hamamitsu!" Rena shouted, and the men hurried to bring her to full sail. As we drew closer to Hamamitsu, I could see the bright red rooftops and smell the cherry blossoms in the cool breeze.

We dropped anchor in Hamamitsu's harbor without incident, and as my trusted associates and I walked past a stone dragon carved to look like it was emerging from the rock garden, Rena sighed.

Hamamitsu. It's been too long since we last came here, huh Matt? Zhu Ro's teahouse is on the hill." Rena said, and she pointed to a fairly large building on a hill overlooking the rock garden.

As we trudged up the hill, I could smell the tea wafting from the open sliding doors as I pushed past a paper lantern to get inside.

Instead of the usual round tables inside taverns, there were square tables so low you had to kneel on soft cushions to be able to reach your cup of tea with convenience, and there was also a low-lying bar at the back of teahouse.

Rena and I sat down at the bar, and a Pig with a black ponytail, fu manchu mustache, and a goatee served us steaming hot tea from a china teapot. He wore red robes with golden hems and a purple sash was draped around his neck.

Then the Pig that could only be Zhu Ro then spoke graciously to us, unusual for a native of MooShu, since most people here would avoid small talk with strangers, especially outlanders. "Welcome to my humble teahouse."


	2. Chapter 2: Forever Yung

**Samoorai Yak**

**Chapter Two**

**Forever Yung**

"You come seeking a way to find Egg Foo Yung, have you? I am saddened to tell you that Egg is a prisoner of the Yakooza." Zhu Ro said. Rena and I had just finished explaining to him why we were here.

"The Yakooza are gangsters - Egg Foo Yung is in serious trouble!" Rena said quietly, and Zhu Ro continued on. "As you may know, foreigners are only allowed to visit Hamamitsu. Egg is not beyond reach, but going to him will not be easy. I can help... for a price."

"What favor do you ask of us?" I asked, and Zhu Ro answered. "I bought an imperial jade statue, but the delivery ship, the _Lotus Blossom_, was lost in Hamamitsu Skyway. If you wish my aid, bring me the statue!"

Downing the rest of our tea, Rena and I stood up to head back to the _Santo Oro_ to sail out of the dockyard of Hamamitsu and into the skyway.

We soon found the wreck of the _Lotus Blossom_, and judging by the scorch marks on her toppled masts, she was hit by a sudden storm.

"I have the statue! Let's get clear of this wreck!" Bonnie said as she emerged from below decks with a solid green statue in her hands, and Ratbeard added, "Before the tea-keeper gets a mind to double-cross us!"

Sailing as fast as the wind allowed, the _Santo Oro _returned to Hamamitsu, and I carried the statue all the way up the hill to Zhu Ro's teahouse.

"Ah, you have returned! Very good. I see that when it comes to finding cunning pirates, Avery has not lost his touch." Zhu Ro said, rubbing his hands together in satisfaction as I gently place the statue onto the bar.

"Just out of curiosity, why do you need this statue?" Rena asked, and Zhu Ro smiled. "You see, I wish for a permit to sell noodles from this fine teahouse, and such a permit is costly. The official who can grant me this permit will only be appeased with a present of fine imperial jade."

"I need you to present the statue to Sosei Wearu, the magistrate. It would be unseemly for me to give it to him. Bring me the permit he gives you." Zhu Ro said, and I sighed. "Very well, but I'm going to need a cup of iced tea first if I'm to make it without dropping that heavy statue!"

After I had my tea, I carried the imperial jade statue all the way to the town hall, distinctive with its size and the blue shingles on its roof.

Inside the town hall, a Bull wearing fine robes was kneeling down at a table, a paintbrush in hand as he wrote characters on a roll of paper, and he looked up at me with the imperial jade statue as I stepped forward.

"Oh my! Is that a fine statue of imperial jade in your hands, or have you come to request a noodle-house permit?" The magistrate, Sosei Wearu asked as he put down his paintbrush.

"Both." I answered, panting as the imperial jade statue got heavier by the second. Sosei Wearu stood up to take the statue from me, and he set it on a corner of the table. "How fortuitous!"

Sosei Wearu then hurriedly finished writing on the paper before rolling it up and handing it to me. "Here you go! This permit allows you, or any other bearer, to sell noodles! Good day."

We walked back to the teahouse, where Zhu Ro was waiting for us expectantly. "You have returned with my noodle vending permit, yes? Excellent."

I handed him the rolled-up paper, and Zhu Ro slipped it inside the sleeve of his red robes. "Egg Foo Yung is a prisoner of the Yakooza, a shadowy criminal empire. They are a blight on the realm of MooShu, but still useful to... people such as we."

"Not far from here is Heavenly Mists, an incense shop run by Shiro Kujo. Kujo is with the Yakooza, and can help you see Yung. Do not tell him I sent you." Zhu Ro said, and with that, my trusted associates and I left his teahouse.

The Heavenly Mists incense shop wasn't hard to find, as we could smell its wares as we walked around Hamamitsu to find it. We opened the sliding doors to the shop, and a shaggy brown Yak wearing short-sleeved brown robes looked up at us.

"Welcome to my humble shop. May I interest you in some incense?" The Yak, presumably Shiro Kujo asked he swept his arm around his shop.

I shook my head both to refuse his offer and to shake off the vague sleepiness induced by his incense, and I pointed my finger at him. "We were told you worked for the Yakooza, and can help us find them."


	3. Chapter 3: The Gold and Egg

**Samoorai Yak**

**Chapter Three**

**The Gold and Egg**

Shiro Kujo recoiled in surprise, but he recovered quickly. "Who told you I worked for the Yakooza? I cannot deny such an accusation, though I encourage your silence."

"We won't report you to the authorities if you help us meet with Egg Foo Yung." I answered, and Shiro Kujo nodded. "My assistance is not without a price, and in this case, it must be exchanged for a shipment of the Emperor's gold."

"It is a crime to steal from the Emperor, of course, but as it happens, the skyway is full of ships from Marleybone, laden with gold bars. The Marleybonians seek to curry favor with the Emperor of MooShu, and are circling near the stormgate even as we speak."

"The gold is meant for the Emperor, but has not yet reached his hands. Bring me that gold and I will send you to Egg Foo Yung." Shiro Kujo said, and I nodded. "Then let's be about it."

Boarding the _Santo Oro _back at the harbor, we were now scanning the skyway for a Royal Navy courier sloop, and then a lookout shouted, "There's something off the bow, Captain!"

"Beat to quarters!" Rena shouted from the helm, and her men rushed to their battle stations to load their guns.

At Rena's command, Bonnie Anne and some other riflemen climbed up the shrouds to the fighting tops to snipe at the enemy crew, and Emmett and Jack had taken up position at the port and starboard railings respectively to command the guns.

As for myself, I stood at Rena's side just as she did for me when we were aboard the _Aquila _to relay orders to the men.

"Make ready... fire!" Emmett shouted as the _Santo Oro _came close to our quarry, and I barely had time to read the brass letters on the bow before we delivered an eight-gun broadside to the courier sloop, caught off-guard by our attack.

"Her mainmast is down! We've got them over a barrel!" The crew shouted as the mainmast of the sloop fell onto the deck with an almighty crack.

"All hands on deck! Prepare to board! We take her a prize, men!" Rena shouted, and the rest of the crew cheered as they brought out their grappling hooks.

"Hook us in! Bring her close!" I shouted as I drew my sword and pointed it at the sloop. As the men threw grappling hooks onto the railings and rigging of the sloop, Jack tossed each of his men a musket as they passed by him, shouting "To arms! To arms!"

"Man the swivels! Cover from the quarterdeck!" Emmett shouted as he fired his pistols at the redcoats aboard the sloop, and the four swivel guns on the port railing answered, wreaking havoc in their line of fire.

Leaving the pilot's wheel in the hands of a crewman, Rena and I drew our weapons and joined the boarding party aboard the quarterdeck.

As the quarterdecks of the two ships slammed into each other, the boarding party shouted battle cries as we leapt aboard the sloop.

Sarah Steele, a Mouse and a fencing student under Morgan Lafitte back on Skull Island, lunged forward with her rapier, and Subodai, an exile from the Amber Horde of Horse barbarians, swiped his curved saber at an officer.

The air was getting hazy now from the smoking guns, and taking advantage of it, I ambushed an officer trying to rally the crew from behind, and I knocked him out with a chokehold that produced unconsciousness in less than six seconds.

Laying him low on the deck, I saw something move in the smoke, and I followed it to the forecastle, where I heard the sound of a hatch open and close.

"Trying to escape, huh?" I said aloud, and spotting a nearby keg of gunpowder, I placed it atop the forecastle and backed away a safe distance before firing, blasting a hole through the hatch.

Running down the stairs, I fired two quick shots to stun the cowardly captain, a disappointment to the Royal Navy. Slinging him over my shoulder, I held a pistol in my right hand as I carried him up onto the weather decks, which were now mostly clear of smoke.

I walked to the quarterdeck, meeting no resistance from the defeated redcoats as I dropped the unconscious captain onto the deck. During the negotiations for the Royal Navy's surrender, the first lieutenant offered Rena his sword, which she took.

The first lieutenant confessed that they were carrying gold for the Emperor, and in exchange for their lives, they would hand it over. He led us to the hold, and Ratbeard cried, "Gold!

As Rena's crew began hauling the wooden chests back to the _Santo Oro_, Ratbeard remarked, "Though it were meant for the Emperor, we'll certainly put it to better use! Let's get back to that incense merchant!"

We sailed back to Hamamitsu as fast as the wind allowed, and my trusted associates and I carried the chests of gold back to Shiro Kujo, who simply nodded as we showed him the contents. "Excellent! Now I must fulfill my end of our bargain..."

"To the rear of my shop are large wooden barrels. Climb into them, and I will transport them to Khotan Skyway, to the lair of the Yakooza. Once you arrive, speak to Oyabun Shingen, the Yakooza leader, and ask if he will grant you access to Egg Foo Yung."

"So we're going to be smuggled to another skyway? At least mark the barrels 'HANDLE WITH CARE.'" Rena remarked, and with that, all of us each took a barrel for ourselves.

Climbing inside my barrel, I sighed as Shiro Kujo closed the cover on my barrel. It was going to be a long voyage...


	4. Chapter 4: Steal From The Rich

**Samoorai Yak**

**Chapter Four**

**Steal From The Rich**

A knock on the barrel cover above me woke me from my sleep, and it was removed to reveal Shiro Kujo. "We are here."

Climbing out of the barrel, I groaned as I felt cramps all over my body. Stretching to try and remove them, I helped Shiro open the covers of my trusted associates' barrels.

As we came up onto the weather decks of Shiro's small junk, I could see that we were in a cave that had been repurposed for the use of the Yakooza.

As Shiro's junk raised anchor to sail away, my trusted associates and I snuck past the sleepy Yak sentries to reach their oyabun, Shingen.

"There he is!" Rena whispered to me, tugging on my sleeve as she pointed from the cover of the shadows. She was pointing to a gray-haired Yak dressed in deep purple robes with many golden dragons stitched into the fabric.

I looked around to see the rest of my trusted associates in the shadows, and on my signal, we stepped out from the shadows like Ninja Pigs, and Oyabun Shingen looked up at us with surprised dark eyes.

"Who are you? How did you get into the middle of my lair?" Oyabun Shingen asked, and I answered. "My name is Matthew Exeter, and these are my trusted were brought here by Shiro Kujo to see Egg Foo Yung."

"Shiro Kujo smuggled you into my lair? I'll take it up with him then, when I see him next. So you want access to my prisoner?" Oyabun Shingen asked, and we nodded.

"To speak to Egg Foo Yung, you must make yourself useful to the Yakooza. Three matters must be dealt with before new business can begin."

"If you think we are mere criminals, you are mistaken! Yakooza are allies to the poor and enemies to any who take from the villagers what little they have."

"Governor Nakamura has levied unfair taxes upon the people of Yagizawa Village. Go there and speak to my lieutenant, Kennosuke. He will tell you what you must do." Oyabun Shingen said as he pointed to the mouth of the cave in the distance.

"Very well then." I said as I turned to leave. The bright sunlight dazzled our eyes as we stepped outside of the darkness of the cave, but our eyes soon adjusted, and taking one of the Yakooza's fishing boats in the nearby village, we soon arrived at Yagizawa Village.

Kennosuke was a gray-haired Yak that lived in a hut on the outskirts of Yagizawa Village, and he looked up at us as we approached him.

"So Oyabun sent you to recover the unfair taxes, eh? Good... you look like you can handle yourselves in a fight!" Kennosuke said as he stood up. "You look incredulous. I assure you, we Yakooza are not mere criminals or bandits - we are champions of the common folk!"

"Seek out Kuga Hidenari. He is an honorable samoorai who has taken up arms against Governor Nakamura. Find his camp, there is much he can tell you." Kennosuke said.

"I admit, I do not like the look of our new allies. But they fight for the innocent - I respect them for that." El Toro whispered to me as we left, and I nodded. "Same here."

As we entered the bamboo forest outside of Yagizawa Village, Bonnie soon found a well-hidden, but beaten trail that led to the camp of Hidenari Kuga, as his name would be said outside of MooShu, with his given name first instead of his surname.

Hidenari wore lacquered armor with a quiver of arrows slung over his back, and he held a hunting bow in his hands as he sat near his campfire. We sat down around his campfire without any resistance, and then I spoke.

"My name is Matthew Exeter, and these are my trusted associates. Kennosuke-san said you could tell us what was going on, Hidenari-san." I said, and Hidenari looked up at me. "When the Emperor fell ill, corruption took hold throughout the provinces quickly."

"I have renounced my station, becoming _ronin _to oppose the injustice my former master Nakamura has visited upon these lands!"

"Nakamura's so-called taxes must go back to the people! I will lead you to his castle. Beware - he is well guarded by the thugs who do his will!" Hidenari said as he stood up. He broke into a quick jog, and we followed him to the gates of Governor Nakamura's castle.

The castle and its estate was proud and noble, a stark contrast to the humble village just outside its walls, an obvious sign of the corruption and the unequal distribution of wealth here.

But that wasn't important now, and on the count of three, we all kicked down the wooden doors, surprising the samoorai guards wearing lacquered armor inside the courtyard.

"Protect the governor! Take him to the audience chamber! The trespassers must not be allowed to reach him there!" I heard a compound guard shout as he fumbled around for his weapon.

"Fighting waves of guards to reach a crooked tax collector? It is as if I never left home!" El Toro said as he drew his foil.

A samoorai wielding a katana was the first to engage me, and his curved sword clashed against my own sword, and we struggled against each other. He had the strength of a Bull, but he had forgotten the first rule of combat: that there are no rules.

I kicked him in the chest, knocking him down to the ground so I could shoot him in the face with my pistol. An arrow then landed at my feet, and I looked up to see archers up on the rooftops of the compound, and I broke into a run to avoid their arrows.

Quickly opening and closing a sliding door behind me, I sighed as I put my back to the door, but then I heard the sound of katanas being drawn from their scabbards, and I looked to see more samoorai guards in front of me.

Pointing my sword at them, small blue fireballs appeared around the tip of my sword, and I shouted, "Artillery!"

The samoorai were unprepared for the salvo of blue fireballs that was my attack, and I left them groaning on the floor in a daze. "The coward's probably fled upstairs. Let's go get him."

I opened a sliding door to a set of stairs up to the terrace on the roof of Governor Nakamura's castle, where a Goat dressed in a red robes and a tall hat was guarded by more samoorai.

"So, petty bandit, you think you can rob me? No way! No how! Destroy him!" The Goat, presumably Governor Nakamura, shouted as he pointed at me, and drawing their swords, his guards ran to face me.

Shoving my empty pistol into its holster, I drew my other sword, and blunting them both with blue energy, I ran to face my attackers.

One guard lunged with his katana, but I parried it and thrust my other sword into his face, sending him stumbling backwards over the terrace's railings.

I knocked back my other three attackers, and sheathing my swords, I drew two loaded pistols from their holsters behind me and fired them, stunning two of the guards.

The last samoorai recovered and ran towards me with his sword, shouting a battle cry, but I calmly drew my last pistol and shot him, sending him to the floor of the terrace, stunned.

As I approached him with my swords drawn, Governor Nakamura backed away. "I surrender! Take the gold... that's what you came for, isn't it? I'm done with this line of work!"

Tying the governor's hands with his own sash, I led him down to the courtyard, where Hidenari took him away to prison as we searched the compound for the treasury, where we found large bags of gold coins taken from the villagers.

"This money should return to the villagers." Rena said, but the hypocrite was trying to slip some of it into her pocket, a habit from her days in Scrimshaw that hadn't quite been broken yet. I gave her a disapproving look and she reluctantly put the gold coin back in the bag.

We returned to Yagizawa Village, where we started handing out gold to every villager we met, though I noticed Rena and Ratbeard were having an especially difficult time with actually letting the coins out of their hands.

"Here you go, ma'am." I said as I offered some gold coins to a lady Cow dressed in bright green robes, but she shook her hand. "I have no need of money, young one, but may I know the names of our heroes?"

I introduced myself and the others to her, and she in turn introduced herself as Moolinda Wu, a teacher on vacation from a place called Ravenwood. "You're pirates, aren't you? Tell me, have you met one of my students in Skull Island, Nikolai Volkov?"

"Yeah, he's our landlord!" I said, and Moolinda beamed. "When you return to Skull Island, do tell him I said hello."

"Such a waste, seeing all that gold go. Maybe you could hold onto just a wee bit? You've earned it! Think of your crew!" Ratbeard pleaded with me, and Rena nodded in agreement.

"These poor Sheep have more need of the gold than we do. Besides, the happier these folk are, the happier the Yakooza will be." Bonnie answered for me, and they hung their heads in disappointment.

But according to the village elders, we weren't about to go without a reward, and in this case, it was in the form of robes called _yukata, _made by the village's best seamstresses.

Tying an _obi _sash around my new blue yukata, I slipped on some wooden sandals called _geta_ as I put my sword in its scabbard and my pistol in between the sash and my yukata.

The others had finished changing, and I even gave Rena, dressed in a bright green yukata similar to Moolinda's with her golden blonde hair in a ponytail, the old once-over.

"Hm... Now what would be a good pump-action shotgun to go with my outfit?" Bonnie wondered aloud as she looked at herself dressed in an orange yukata in the reflection of a nearby pond.

We returned to Oyabun Shingen in the Yakooza's cave, who looked up at us as we approached him. "I have heard from the folk of Yagizawa Village of your efforts on their behalf. You have the friendship of the Yakooza!"

"Furthermore, I give you an imperial writ granting you safe passage within MooShu. You will no longer be attacked out of hand for leaving Hamamitsu Skyway. Do not ask where it has come from... and be careful handling it. The ink may smudge."

I nodded as I took the writ from Oyabun Shingen, and after he had let us go free, I decided to spend the rest of the evening in the hot springs of the local village inn.

I sat near the entrance to the hot springs, pouring buckets of hot water over my head, and I sighed with satisfaction as I leaned backwards against the smooth rock in the middle of the central pool.

_Here I am, retracing the steps of Marco Pollo, and Mom too. _I thought, closing my eyes as I poured another bucketful of hot water over my head. _Mom, Dad, if you could see me now, would you be proud of me? Jack says you would, and I hope that's true._

I was then broken from my train of thought by the sound of the sliding door in front of me opening, and I looked to see Rena with her hair down and only a towel to cover her lean figure, which as a guy, I couldn't help but notice was well-developed.

We were both silent for a second as we stayed frozen to our positions, before Rena's scream pierced the night. "PERVERT!"


	5. Chapter 5: Wild Rice

**Samoorai Yak**

**Chapter Five**

**Wild Rice**

"Now that we are friends and trust one another, we can do business. This equation will end in you meeting Egg Foo Yung." Oyabun Shingen said the next morning as we stood inside the Yakooza cave.

I could barely hear him, because my head was still throbbing from the thrashing Rena gave me in the hot springs last night, and I shuddered inwardly at the thought.

"As mentioned before, there are two further tasks to accomplish for the Yakooza before such a meeting can be brokered." Oyabun Shingen continued.

"Our campaigns against the cruel authorities have made us many enemies. Among the greatest is the warlord of this skyway, General Tso. Speak to my henchman, Yuji, in Sujimura Village, near the docks. He will tell you how you will deal with General Tso."

We nodded as we left the cave for the docks in the nearby village, where we were pleasantly surprised to find the _Santo Oro_ waiting for us.

"The Yakooza came for us in Hamamitsu, and escorted us here." Sarah Steele explained to us as we stood on the weather deck, and Rena nodded.

"Hey, Rena..." I began, but Rena promptly turned on her heel to march to the pilot's wheel, and I called after her, "Come on, you're still angry about last night!?"

I sighed in defeat as I leaned against the railing with my arms crossed, and the _Santo Oro _sailed north to Sujimura Village, where we asked around the docks for Yuji until a fisherman pointed us the way to his hut.

I knocked on the wooden frame of the sliding door to Yuji's hut, and it opened to reveal a Yak in a plain yukata. "Who are you? Why are you here?"

"My name is Matthew Exeter, and these are my trusted associates. Oyabun Shingen sent us." I answered, and Yuji's eyes lit up. "Ah, the Oyabun sent you? Finally, someone to help us against General Tso! We have suffered too long for his vain glory."

Yuji gestured for us to come inside and sit around his table, and he continued talking. "Tso's war machine is fueled by our sweat and tears: Tso's army is mobilizing for some grand new campaign, and we must feed them with our rice.

"General Tso has levied more rice than we can spare! We will starve this winter unless something is done. Take to the skyway and attack one of General Tso's ships. Take back the people's rice. I will give it to the villagers here."

We nodded as we stood up to leave for the _Santo Oro_, and we sailed out into Khotan Skyway. Scanning the horizon with my spyglass, I soon spotted one of General Tso's cargo ships. "Sail ho!"

Unlike the Santo Oro, most MooShu ships didn't have cannons, but that didn't make their rams and the fighting abilities of their crews any less deadly. The _Santo Oro _moved behind the stern of the cargo ship, and delivered a broadside from behind.

While the crew of the cargo ship was sent reeling, the _Santo Oro _turned to starboard to fire chain shot at the masts to topple them and rip their sails.

We held our breath for a few seconds after we had fired the chain shot, ducking down behind the bulwarks to avoid the arrows fired by the enemy crew, and then an officer shouted, "Her mainmast is down! We have them over a barrel, Captain!"

"All hands on deck! Prepare to board!" Rena shouted, and the men cheered, pumping their fists in the air.

"Grappling hooks away!" The men shouted as they hurled them onto the bulwarks and whatever else was conveniently available, and they began pulling the cargo ship closer to the quarterdeck.

Leaving the _Santo Oro_ in the hands of a crewman, Rena and I led the charge onto the deck of the cargo ship, where a fog of war soon appeared from the barrels of our guns.

Grabbing a katana from a fallen samoorai, I parried an attack with a pike before shooting the offending crewman in the face with my pistol.

A man on our side was struggling against a superior samoorai swordsman, so I snuck behind the samoorai, and grabbing him by his lacquered armor, threw him into a barrel that broke as he slammed into it.

An arrow then struck me in the shoulder, and I yelled in pain as I stumbled back, and hitting the bulwark with the base of my spine, I fell overboard, and would've ended up in Davy Jones's locker if I hadn't grabbed the rope of a grappling hook just in time.

The wood of the bulwark then broke from the added weight, and I ended up swinging to the hull of the _Santo Oro_. Carefully stepping onto the spikes of the grappling hook, I began reloading my pistol.

I then climbed back up the rope, and the archer that had shot me looked utterly gobsmacked that I was still alive as I shot him. Getting back up onto the deck of the _Santo Oro_, I saw the smoke cleared to reveal many casualties on the cargo ship's deck.

Carrying the wounded members of our crew to the sickbay, the ones still in good condition took the sacks of rice, stepping over the samoorai as they went.

"Distasteful as I find our Yakooza hosts, this I approve of. Fighting the armies of an oppressor for the sake of the innocent: a job worthy of El Toro!" El Toro said to me awhile later as we sailed back to Sujimura Village.

I nodded, wincing slightly from the pain in my shoulder. Although a bit painful, he arrow wound in my shoulder actually wasn't that bad, as it didn't penetrate very far, though my shoulder didn't have the freedom of movement that I liked.

Anyway, we dropped anchor at Sujimura Village, where Yuji greeted us as we stood at his door with the sacks of rice. "You have done a great good for my people, and struck a blow against a tyrant. With this rice, we can feed those who go without."


	6. Chapter 6: Everyone Loves A Party

**Samoorai Yak**

**Chapter Six **

**Everyone Loves A Party**

"You have humbled General Tso's fleet, but now you must rob him of his honor! You will humiliate the general in front of his followers!" Yuji said as we sat down on our knees around the low table in his home.

"Tso is sponsoring the wedding of Takeda Moomori, one of his most trusted henchmen. You will see that it does not go as planned."

"First, we will need to get you into the wedding as honored guests... a simple matter of deception and trickery!"

"Go to the home of Tsunomori Date, a respected Samoorai. Steal his invitation and take it to Chosuke the forger in Oyabun Shingen's cave."

"This burglary jobs sounds pretty easy. I'll steal the invitation." Rena remarked, and we returned to the _Santo Oro _to set sail for Hamamitsu.

Hamamitsu was actually floating above a lake instead of a stretch of sky like other cities, and we sailed above it to drop anchor at Hamamitsu.

One of the locals was quite willing to divulge the location of Tsunomori Date's home with the help of a few silver coins, and my trusted associates and I were now hidden amongst the tall bamboo growing inside the Moomori clanhold, scouting out the place.

"This shouldn't be too hard." Rena said as she stood up from her position near mine, and she began shimmying up a tall bamboo plant closest to the rooftop of Tsunomori Date's home.

**Rena's Point of View  
**I leapt onto the shingled roof of the house, and I soon found a hidden trapdoor that lead into the the attic.

The sunlight from the slightly-opened trapdoor shone through the dust particles in the air onto another trapdoor, and I opened it slightly to see no one was at the bottom of the ladder.

I climbed down the ladder quickly and went on tip-toe as I began searching every nook and cranny in the house.

After fifteen minutes of searching in the other rooms, I found an opened envelope sitting on a low-lying tea table in the middle of a room._That looks like the invitation. Fancy!_

I slipped it in the inside pocket of my bottle green jacket, and then I froze as I heard footsteps inside the house.

Praying that the loose coins inside my pouch wouldn't jingle too much, I went as fast as I could back up the ladder to the attic and onto the roof.

**Matt's Point of View  
**Rena slid down the bamboo plant down to us, smiling as she held up the invitation for us to see. "Who do you love more than me?"

I smiled as I took the invitation. "The only woman I love more than you is my mom."

The guys jeered softly at me as we returned to the _Santo Oro _in the dockyard of Hamamitsu, where we sailed to Rokugara Island, the home of the Yakooza in Khotan Skyway.

We soon found Chosuke the forger inside the Yakooza's cave, and he said to us,"You want an invitation to Moomori's wedding. It must be quite the event, to draw guests such as you, eh? Heh heh heh..."

I handed him the invitation, and he looked it over very carefully. "The model you have brought me is suitable - I will make you a copy. But I need materials."

"Go to Hamamitsu. From the stationer's shop, I require fine paper and ebon ink. Tell them I sent you. You must also borrow the imperial vizier's stamp from the governor's palace. Give him this - he will grant your request."

I nodded as I took the letter from Chosuke, and we returned to the _Santo Oro _and sailed back to Hamamitsu, where we walked to the stationer's shop and to the calligrapher at the counter.

"You require paper? Ah. I'm sure this will suit you..." The calligrapher began as he brought out a piece of paper, but I shook my head. "Chosuke sent us for fine paper and ebon ink."

"Chosuke? Chosuke has sent you?" The calligrapher asked as he hurriedly put away the paper and brought out another piece of much finer quality, as well as a bottle of dark ink. "Ah! Here take this paper - it is my best! And this ink as well!"

"How much do we owe you?" I asked, but the calligrapher shook his head. "No, no charge. Anything for friends of Chosuke!"

Our next stop was the governor's palace, where the imperial vizier was standing in the entrance hall. "What business do people such as you have with me, outlanders?"

His eyes widened as I handed him the letter, and he quickly looked it over before putting it back inside the envelope. "A delivery? Ah... Very good. You require the seals? Allowances can be made."

He gave us the seals that we needed, and I slipped them inside the sleeve of my yukata as we left the palace for the _Santo Oro_, where we returned to the Yakooza's cave on Rokugara Island, where Chosuke was waiting for us at his desk.

"These materials are acceptable. I shall have your invitations for you in moments." The gray-haired Yak said as he took the materials from my hands and gestured for us to wait while he worked.


	7. Chapter 7: Shogun Wedding

**Samoorai Yak**

**Chapter Seven**

**Shogun Wedding**

"Here you have them... invitations for the wedding of Takeda Moomori, a grand event sponsored by the evil General Tso!" Chosuke said as he handed each of us an invitation.

"These invitations are my finest works. They will pass all scrutiny. If they do not, you'll know soon enough!"

"Take it back to Yuji, in Sujimura Village. My invitations can get you into the wedding, but he will tell you how to get there." Chosuke said, and we nodded as we left for the _Santo Oro_.

A half hour later, we dropped anchor at Sujimura Village, where we met up with Yuji in his hut. "I will return Tsunomori Date's invitation, now that we no longer need it. I'm temped to keep the stamp... but no."

"To bring dishonor upon General Tso, you must humble his lieutenant at his own wedding... Takeda Moomori must be humiliated!" Yuji said, slamming his hand onto the low-lying table in his home. "Head to the Moomori clan's hold and destroy this wedding: steal General Tso's gift, deface Takeda's mansion, and disrupt the entertainments."

"You will have help - Taro Moomori is disgusted by his clan's association with General Tso. Find him once you enter the Moomori clan's hold." Yuji said as he brought out a wooden chest, and inside the chest were formal robes for the wedding. We each took a set as we left for the _Santo Oro _to set sail to Hamamitsu.

Dropping anchor at the Moomori Compound, my trusted associates and I took a beaten, but well-hidden trail through the bamboo growing inside the Moomori clan's hold, and we soon spotted a lone Bull.

The Bull wore the lamellar armor of the samoorai, and as we stepped out from the bamboo, he drew his curved _katana_. I shook my head and asked, "Are you Taro Moomori?"

The Bull slowly nodded and I continued on, "Yuji sent us to crash the wedding and humiliate Takeda Moomori."

Taro Moomori nodded as he sheathed his sword. "Yuji sent you? Good! The time has come at last for my uncle to pay the price for following General Tso!"

Taro Moomori then stepped towards me and offered a metal key. "Here is a key that will offer you entry into the Mansion and my uncle's audience chamber. You know what to do!"

I nodded as I took the key, and Taro pointed us the way to his clan's mansion, where one of the guards at the gate stopped us. "Let me see your invitations."

We showed him our invitations, and the guard nodded. "Very well, you may enter. Enjoy the wedding, sponsored by General Tso. May he live to be one thousand years old!"

I smiled innocently as I nodded and repeated what the guard said. "May he live to be one thousand years old."

The guards opened the gate, and there were guards everywhere. In addition to his soldiers, I suspected that General Tso also hired the local masterless samoorai, or _ronin_, as extra muscle.

"A frontal assault will never work. We must use our wits and cunning. Child's play!" El Toro said quietly. He was wearing black robes and had kept his hat and mask on, but if the guards noticed, they didn't say.

"Quiet! The wedding's just started - the audience chamber should be empty. Let's steal the gift." Rena said quietly, and she was wearing a beautiful floral-patterned _kimono _the same color of her eyes.

Looking as casual as we could, we soon found and slipped inside the Moomori audience chamber, where we hid behind some wooden pillars to avoid the line of sight of the three samoorai inside.

"Avast! The gift's guarded! Let's deal with these lubbers quick!" Ratbeard, dressed in red robes, hissed.

"Emmett and I will take the ones closest to us. Bonnie, you'll take the one farthest away." I said, and the two nodded as they drew their pistols, as we had been unable to smuggle anything else inside.

Three gunshots rang out, and the three samoorai fell stunned upon the floor just as a fourth entered the audience chamber from another door.

Just as he was about to sound the alarm, another gunshot was heard, and he fell upon the floor, stunned. "Nice shot, Bonnie."

Iquickly stepped over the bodies of the samoorai and crossed the large and spacious audience chamber, decorated with small cherry blossom trees and red cushions for sitting, to General Tso's wedding gift.

The wedding gift was a two-foot long _wakizashi _sword inside a blue silk scabbard decorated with golden dragons, and I drew the weapon to find that it was made of tempered steel.

"And that's that. Now who's up for a little vandalism, eh what?" Emmett asked, and Rena grinned as she took a paintbrush and a bottle of ink from her sleeve. "I know just what to paint. Let's go."

I reluctantly sheathed the _wakizashi _and slid it behind the sash of my dark blue robes as I followed Rena and the others to another part of the Moomori mansion.

Once there, Rena gave each of us a paintbrush and a bottle ink, and directed us in writing _kana_, the written language of MooShu, and graffiti on the walls.

"Well, that's done. What do they say?" Ratbeard asked as we finished, and Rena answered as she casually looked at her nails. "Oh, just a few things about the marital status of Takeda Moomori's parents."

"What's next then?" Bonnie asked, and Rena also answered. "Tonight's entertainment is a Kowbooki opera. I once read a script for one, and it was... very boring."

"We'll go backstage and steal a costume for Matt, and he'll rush onto the stage and cause some trouble!" Rena finished, and I nodded. "Sounds good to me. Let's be about it, then."

We went back outside to find the entrance to the backstage of the theater, where I groaned as we found the only costume, which was meant for a girl.

Rena and Bonnie grinned at each other and then at me, and I quickly said as I backed away from them, "Oh no. There's no way in hell that I'm going to wear _that_..."

"Ooh, look at you! Charming!" Bonnie laughed as I stepped out for the others to see, grumbling. "I can't believe I'm wearing this."

In addition to the black floral-patterned kimono, I was wearing a wig with straight black hair and white makeup on my face so thick that if I was going to get it off later, I'd need to scrub.

Rena rubbed her hands together in satisfaction, and I scowled at her as she handed me two fans.

"Perfect. Now go get onstage and make a fool of yourself, which shouldn't be too hard. Crowd the other performers, knock over the scenery, and Takeda Moomori will never live it down."

As Rena consulted the script, we heard one of the other actors say a line, and Rena rolled up the script. "There's your cue. Now go get 'em, tiger!"

I was roughly pushed onto the stage, and I stumbled into an actor, knocking him over onto the floor. "I'm sorry!"

I then grabbed a prop from the stage, and started whacking the poor guy with it, and after a moment of stunned silence, the entire audience, except for the bride and groom and another Bull, fell onto the floor laughing.

The groom, Takeda Moomori, stood up angrily, trying to look as menacing as possible in bright pink lamellar armor. "This is an outrage! You have brought dishonor to my name and to that of General Tso! Guards!"

"That's no way to talk to a lady!" I said as I drew my pistol and the _wakizashi_ from behind my back, and the other Bull, dressed in green armor, stood up as well as he drew his sword.

"That was my gift to you, Takeda-san!" The Bull in green armor sputtered, and I grinned at him. "So you're General Tso, huh? Well, you're not the only who's brought backup! Guys!"

The others burst from backstage, armed with pistols and stage weapons, as the guards entered the theater, armed with katanas and bows, and blocked Takeda Moomori and General Tso.

I fired my pistol, stunning the guard captain, and the samoorai began their reckless charge towards us, making it easier for us to stun them with our fifteen pistols.

The samoorai managed to get into close quarters, and picking up katanas from their fallen comrades, we fought them.

I blocked a two-handed katana slash with the blade of another, supported by the _wakizashi. _I then kicked the attacking samoorai in the stomach, and as he was sent reeling backwards, Bonnie shot him with her pistol.

Hurriedly reloading my pistol, I shot another samoorai in the back, and slammed the hilt of the _wakizashi _into the back of another samoorai's head.

"Where's General Tso and Takeda Moomori!?" I heard Rena shout, and I shouted back. "I don't know! They must've run off!"

I heard Rena cursing as we regrouped in the theater, surrounded by the unconscious bodies of the samoorai, and she said, "Takeda Moomori's finished. It's time for Oyabun Shingen to keep his end of the bargain."

As the panicked guests ran away screaming, throwing the remaining guards in disarray, we followed their example and ran out of the Moomori clan's hold back to the _Santo Oro_.

We sailed as fast as the wind allowed back to Rokugara Island, where inside the Yakooza's cave, a gray Goose stood next to Oyabun Shingen. "Egg Foo Yung!"

"Do not seem so surprised. I am the true Oyabun, the leader of the Yakooza. This ruse keeps attention away from my true identity." The Goose said as he looked at us closely.

Egg Foo Yung wore a black _uwagi _jacket, like the ones you see martial arts students wear, with red hems, dark blue trousers, and wooden sandals.

Egg Foo Yung also held a spear-like _naginata _in his right hand, and he also had a sheathed katana at his side.

"I had to see if you could be trusted. You've earned my regard... treasure it." Egg Foo Yung said. "Now what is it that you want from me?"

"We want you to give us your piece of Marco Pollo's map." I said, and Egg Foo Yung reeled back in surprise.

"You want me to give you my piece of Marco Pollo's map? The piece he entrusted to me? That is quite a significant favor... one you must earn."


	8. Chapter 8: That Was Yesterday

**Samoorai Yak**

**Chapter Eight**

**That Was Yesterday**

"I cannot surrender my piece of the map without knowing that the common folk I protect are better off for it. Does that surprise you?" Egg Foo Yung asked. We shook our heads and he continued as he paced in front of us.

"General Tso is a rogue warlord, an enemy to the Emperor and the people. As long as he is in power, the folk of MooShu suffer!"

"Tso is too powerful to fight, and even if defeated, he will be thought of as a hero. You must expose Tso for the traitor he is!"

"Tso supports bandits plaguing Sujimura Village. Work with Constable Tatami and find proof of General Tso's treachery." Egg Foo Yung finished, and with that, he turned his back on us.

As we began walking towards the mouth of the Yakooza cave, I stopped and they turned around to see what was wrong. "You guys go on ahead. I want to talk to Egg Foo Yung."

Rena reluctantly nodded, and she led the others to the _Santo Oro_, waiting in the docks of Rokugara Island. I turned to walk towards Egg Foo Yung, who glanced over his shoulder to see me. "What do you want now?"

"You sailed with Marco Pollo when he went to El Dorado, didn't you, sir?" I asked, and Egg Foo Yung softened slightly at the thought.

"Yes, I remember the journey with my old friends well, and I still think about them from time to time. Marco Pollo, Christopher Clark, Catbeard, Argos, Erika the Red, Tessa Kenway..."

"My mother..." I said, and Egg Foo Yung slowly nodded in a sagely way. "Yes, your mother..."

Egg Foo Yung then suddenly turned to me with his eyes wide in shock, and he blinked several times. "YOUR MOTHER!? TESSA KENWAY IS YOUR MOTHER!?"

I nodded, and Egg Foo Yung shouted with eyes bulging. "YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! YOU'RE TESSA'S SON!? SHE HAS A SON!?"

I nodded, trying not to laugh at his sudden outbursts, so out-of-character for a native of MooShu, and Egg Foo Yung asked more calmly, "Where is your hometown? Who raised you?"

"My uncle Haytham raised me in Port Regal." I answered, and Egg Foo Yung's eyes widened even further. "Then it's true. Tessa was always talking about the younger brother named Haytham she left behind in Port Regal."

"You also might want to see this." I said as I brought out the photo of Marco Pollo and his crew in El Dorado and handed it to him.

Egg Foo Yung's face softened as he took it gently into his hands. "You look just like her. In fact, if you were to wear a dress..."

I grimaced. "Please. I dressed as a Kowbooki actress during Takeda Moomori's wedding, and I _did not_ like it."

Egg Foo Yung chuckled, and he actually patted me on the shoulder. "I am sorry for your loss of your mother. She was a great woman, and your father, Edward Exeter, was a great man, even if he was a bit of a scoundrel."

"Someone has come at last! I thought no one would listen to my complaints... though I did not expect foreign pirates to help!" Constable Tatami said as we stood in the center of Sujimura Village a few hours later.

Constable Tatami wore the lamellar armor of a samoorai, and it was apparent that he was so busy fighting off the bandits that he hadn't had time to get it repaired.

"The Inoshishi bandits have run rampant through Sujimura Village. I've tried to stop them, but they walked all over me!" Constable Tatami said. "Defeat them! The bandit chief hides inside the tower outside of the village!"

We nodded, and we left to gather the men aboard the _Santo Oro_. Led by Milo Graytail, a Rat who used to sail with Rena's deceased whaler father, they followed us to the tower.

As we busted down the doors, a group of Pig bandits looked up in surprise from their game of mahjong as the men stunned them with their muskets.

"Did that pathetic constable send you? After we finish with you, we'll pay him a visit!" One of the Inoshishi bandits shouted as he picked up a double-bladed axe, and the others cheered as they took up arms.

Smoke soon filled the air from our guns, and my men trampled the bodies of the Inoshishi bandits as they charged them with boarding pikes.

"These bandits have no honor. They prey upon the villagers, rather than the forces of evil. But we will get to their chief!" El Toro shouted, and the men roared in approval as they fought harder.

Caught by surprised, the Pig bandits were slowly overwhelmed by the men despite their best efforts, and my trusted associates and I ran up the stairs.

We burst onto the top floor of the tower, where the Inoshishi chief stood ready along with his remaining men. "Looking for a fight? You got one!"

Bonnie aimed and fired, blasting a Pig off his feet as Emmett fired twice with his pistols. El Toro laughed as he snatched a Pig's axe out of his hands with his whip, and proceeded to whip him into unconsciousness.

Jack and Ratbeard swung their cutlasses, and Old Scratch covered a Pig's axe with glowing purple energy and sent it after its screaming former owner, who ran away in fear as his axe chopped the air.

Rena and I went after the bandit chief, and we both lunged forward with our swords. The Inoshishi chief held out the blades of his axe flat out in front of him, and the tips of our swords were stopped.

I saw that Old Scratch had knocked out the Pig with the floating axe, and I shouted to him. "Old Scratch!"

I tossed my sword to Rena and caught the axe in my hand. It was surprisingly well-balanced, despite the obvious nicks in its two blades. "Sometimes a civilized weapon just won't do the job."

I swung the axe as Rena lunged forward again, and as the Inoshishi chief blocked the tip of Rena's sword, he was knocked unconscious by the flat of my axe hitting his reinforced helmet.

A few minutes later, the bandit chief came to, surrounded on all sides by the tips of swords and barrels of guns, and he asked groggily. "Was it General Tso that sent you?"

I nodded, seizing an opportunity for intelligence, and the bandit chief said, "I was going to burn that incriminating letter from him... I... I just haven't gotten around to it! Here, you take it!"

The bandit chief thrust the letter into my hands, and a pistol shot later, he was stunned on the floor.

"A gutless scoundrel if there ever was one. I could have used his like in me own crew, back in the day! Best take that letter to Constable Tatami." Ratbeard remarked as Rena took the letter from my hands and opened it.

"According to this paper, the bandits' lord is hiding in a nearby cave. We have to find him and finish this." Rena said as she put the paper back into the envelope, and soon, everyone was searching for a cave.

One of the messes aboard the _Santo Oro _found the cave, and Rena promised them each a gold coin for their hard work as the rest of my trusted associates entered the cave.

Drawing our weapons, we suddenly burst into the cave, guns blazing as Pigs fell stunned upon the floor of the cave, and the bandits' lord charged at me with his _naginata_.

With my sword, I parried his blade mounted on a long wooden shaft, and aimed my pistol at his head to fire.

I missed by a fraction of an inch, and the bandit lord drew his _naginata _back for a horizontal swipe. Drawing another pistol, I fired at his hand, stunning it and making his weapon more unwieldy.

Bonnie had slammed the butt of her sniper rifle into the stomach of her opponent, and she quickly moved to take aim and fire, but not before the blade of the bandit lord had managed to slice through my clothes.

The bandit lord fell stunned upon the floor, and I was nursing a large slash on my stomach. I didn't think it was too deep, and I wasn't bleeding from the mouth, so I thought I'd be fine.

"You may have defeated me, but we were ahead of you! You go - tell the mayor of Sujimura Village that the Inoshishi have already won!" The bandit lord said later to us, trying for an evil laugh that came out as a thin cackle.

I sighed as I stunned him with my pistol and helped the others to tie him and his men up, and Emmett said, "That was strange... I wonder what he means? We'd best tell the mayor and find out."

With the Pig bandits carried over the shoulders of the men to the local prison, we walked to the home of Sujimura Village's mayor, Komatsu.

As we entered his office, the Bull backed away from us, trying to shield himself with his arms. "No more bad news, I beg you!"


	9. Chapter 9: Wan Mo Time

**Samoorai Yak**

**Chapter Nine**

**Wan Mo Time**

"What's wrong, sir?" I asked, and Mayor Komatsu wailed, "The Inoshishi bandits have stolen all of the boats in Sujimura, and are on the way to Yama Kai! The holy sage is in danger!"

"Sir, we're not here about _that_, although that _is _a big emergency." I said, and Mayor Komatsu looked up at that. "You're not here about that?"

"No sir, but we're here about the Inoshishi-" I began, but Mayor Komatsu cut me off. "No - if you have come about the Inoshishi bandits, then you are here about that. Please help!"

I sighed, and then I asked, "What do we need to do, Mayor Komatsu?"

"Do you have a ship?" Mayor Komatsu asked, and we nodded. "Then I beg you - you must race to Yama Kai Shrine and warn the holy sage, Wan Mo, about the storm that is coming! Be off now!"

"Let's be about it, then." I said to the others as I turned to stride towards the door, and a few minutes later, the _Santo Oro _set sail out of the docks of Sujimura Village.

According to the atlas written by our friend and landlord, Nikolai Volkov, the island of Yama Kai was directly south of Sujimura Village, and we soon dropped anchor at its pier.

We climbed Yama Kai's green slopes to a shrine at the top of the largest hill, where an elderly Goose was doing the splits atop two tree stumps. "Welcome to Yama Kai. Have you come seeking enlightenment?"

The Goose that could only be Wan Mo wore black robes and wooden sandals, and he had a kind smile on his face, despite the strain the splits must've put on his legs.

"Hey guys, what's up?" A familiar voice asked, and we turned to see our friend and landlord, Nikolai Volkov, dressed in a long tan robe with a hood, with a wooden staff at his side.

We nodded to acknowledge Nikolai and shook our heads at Wan Mo, who said, "It is my hope that you are not among the ruffians troubling this sacred spot, but you do not look like Inoshishi bandits."

"Then I guess we don't need to warn you about an attack..." I said sheepishly as I scratched the back of my head.

"You came to warn me of an attack? Your timing needs some work, but your intentions are without fault." Wan Mo said as he gestured to the soft grass in front of him.

"Please stay a moment and enjoy a bowl of tea. Allow me to enlighten you with a tale of MooShu..." Wan Mo said, and we sat down to pour ourselves bowls of tea as Wan Mo began his tale.

"All of the people of MooShu respect the Emperor, offspring of the spirit of the sun. The Emperor's rule is wise and just."

"Not long ago, a necromancer came to MooShu, seeking to open a magical door at the heart of MooShu... a door to a world of dragons!" Wan Mo said, and I thought I notice Nikolai tense up at the word "necromancer."

"When the Emperor refused him the Dragonspyre key, he was cursed into a deep, dark sleep from which he could not wake, and which grips him still."

"While the Emperor sleeps, evil men have risen in power and influence, and brought strife to the fair land of MooShu."

"Lord wars against vassal, and the order of things was overturned... the Wheel of Life is turning ever slower."

"Among the greatest of the evil men to turn against the Emperor was the one known as - Aaarrrrgghh!" Wan Mo cried as he fell backwards.

"Aaarrrrgghh? 'Tis a strange name for a warlord, if there ever was one. Grim, too." Ratbeard remarked as Nikolai stood up and ran over to inspect Wan Mo's body.

"Perhaps he means 'Aaaaar-gent', which translates as 'silver'? Does anyone know of an enemy named the Silver... something?" El Toro asked.

"Open your eyes, you fools! Something's happened to Wan Mo!" Bonnie Anne shouted at the both of them.

"Wan Mo is dead! He's been killed by a Ninja Pig! Look!" Nikolai said as he hoisted up Wan Mo's body and pointed to a _kunai_ with its entire blade embedded in his chest.

Ratbeard and El Toro looked rightfully ashamed for having not realized it, and Nikolai continued. "Wan Mo's clothes have orange mud on them - mud you can only find in the Cavern of Whispers on Kaizoku-Jima. Let's go!"

"You're coming with us!?" I asked, and Nikolai nodded. "I'm a lot more powerful than I look. Come on!"

We raced back to the _Santo Oro_ to sail around the peninsula in Khotan Skyway to Kaizoku-Jima, which Nikolai tells me means "Pirate Island" in the language of MooShu.

"Oh Nikolai, someone wanted me to tell you something." I said as we stood at the helm near Rena. "Moolinda Wu says hello."

Nikolai smiled. "That's nice of her. She was one of my teachers back at my alma mater."

We soon dropped anchor at the pier on the island, where Nikolai pointed to one of the island's many caves visible from the ship. "Over there!"

Armed with lanterns, we entered the Cavern of Whispers, and avoiding the creepy crawlies as we went, we soon found a blood red door built into the wall of the cave, and Nikolai began examining it.

"A shadow door! I've heard of these things. The amulet keys the Ninja Pig lieutenants wear will open it." Nikolai said, and suddenly, three Ninja Pigs dropped down from the ceiling of the cave, armed with knives.

"And speak of the Devil, there they are!" Nikolai cried as the Ninja Pigs began their attack. He slammed his staff into the belly of the one closest to him, knocking his opponent into another Ninja Pig.

The Ninja Pigs recovered and jumped onto one another's shoulders to form a tower, and they all punched Nikolai somewhere different

The Ninja Pig on the top punched Nikolai in the face, the middle one punched his chest, and the last one punched his groin, sending him groaning away to regroup.

Bonnie aimed at the bottom Ninja Pig, but just as she was about to pull the trigger, the ground rumbled slightly from beneath us, and a giant golden brown scarab beetle burst forth to attack the Ninja Pigs.

The Ninja Pigs fell off their tower, and we fired our guns to stun them as the giant scarab beetle burrowed back underground. "Well... that was random."

Nikolai came back with a limp as we removed the amulet keys from the bodies of the Ninja Pig lieutenants, and he scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I'm sorry, guys. I know I said I was a lot more powerful than I looked but..."

"Just be grateful that they didn't stab your groin." Rena said, making Nikolai groan again in pain. We returned to the shadow door, where Nikolai inserted the amulet keys into engravings on the door.

The doors opened on their own mysteriously, and we stepped through them to a well-lit area of the cave, where we found an altar with candles dedicated to a multi-armed Pig, each hand holding a bladed weapon.

"Where are all the ninjas? I've heard legends of how deadly they are, but so far, I must admit - I am not very impressed." El Toro asked.

Countless Ninja Pigs then dropped from the ceiling onto their feet, and as they leapt up into the air, we fired our pistols, stunning a few of them before they could throw their knives.

"Valor's Fortress!" I shouted, using a larger and more powerful version of Valor's Shield to protect us from the Ninja Pigs' knives as they dropped back down to the ground.

"Spectral Blast!" I heard Nikolai shout, and a sound like the blast of a cannon went off, sending several Ninja Pigs flying.

"N-Nikolai, are you a wizard?" I asked, and Nikolai turned to look at me with a grin. "Yup! I'm a master sorcerer with honors from the Ravenwood School of Magical Arts. Donate Power!"

I suddenly felt full of energy, and I grinned as I pointed the tip of my sword at the Ninja Pigs. "Artillery!"

As blue energy missiles were fired from the tip of my sword, I parried the dagger of another Ninja Pig, which Nikolai promptly bonked on the head with his staff.

"You're not too bad a fighter." I remarked as I watched Nikolai knock away a Ninja Pig's attack, and he called back, "And I also minored in butt-kicking!"

Nikolai punctuated his answer with a sharp crack on his opponent's head with his staff, and Rena leapt in to gallantly defend him from a Ninja Pig's sneak attack.

"If you're not dead, say aye!" I called out, and eight other voices answered me amongst the ringing of metal clashing against metal, and Nikolai cried, "Bladestorm!"

All our weapons were now glowing with magical energy, and we began our attack anew until all of the Ninja Pigs were unconscious.

We regrouped near the shrine, where Bonnie was holding a letter in her hand. "One of them was carrying this. What's it say?"

Rena opened the envelope to read the _kana _written on the letter inside. "It's a contract. The Ninja Pigs were hired by someone named Doctor Noh to assassinate a list of targets."

"The next name on the list, just below Wan Mo... it's Mayor Komatsu from Sujimura Village! We have to save him!" Rena said as she put away the letter, and we began running towards the mouth of the cavern.

"Out of the way!" Nikolai said as he waved his staff. "Smilodon!"

A glowing magic circle then appeared in front of Nikolai, and a tiger with long fangs appeared inside it in a flash of light, growling at the Ninja Pigs, who ran away in fear as the smilodon chased after them.

"Perhaps I spoke too soon. These ninjas are... tenacious!" El Toro said as we continued our running towards the cave's mouth, and Old Scratch said, "Come on - we have little time!"

As more Ninja Pigs appeared from the shadows, Nikolai summoned another giant scarab beetle to chase them away, and El Toro called out, "Enough! I take back what I said. Do you hear me, ninjas? I take it back!"

"Pipe down, you galoot! We've got to get out of ehre and back to Sujimura or the Mayor's goose is cooked!" Ratbeard cried, and he led the charge out of the cavern back to the _Santo Oro_.

We sailed as fast as the wind allowed back to Sujimura Village, where we burst through the doors of Mayor Komatsu's manor. "Sir, Doctor Noh has sent Ninja Pigs after you!"

"What? I've been marked for death by the Ninja Pigs? At the behest of the insidious Doctor Noh? He is General Tso's right hand man!" Mayor Komatsu cried. "This is no small matter! You must protect me!"

Ninja Pigs the appeared from every nook and cranny in the audience chamber, and El Toro cried, "They're everywhere! Now, porcine assassins, you will learn that justice also wears a mask! We fight!"

Nikolai stood back with his staff ready to guard Mayor Komatsu, leaving us to go on the offensive.

Rena and I lunged towards the same Ninja Pig, who could only block my sword as Rena's sliced through his black suit to reveal soft pink skin.

Rena then punched the Ninja Pig in his exposed gut with a striker in her hand for more weight into her attack, sending him reeling backwards into the mouth of my pistol.

Bonnie and Emmett both shot the same Ninja Pig with their guns, and Old Scratch held another in place with giant skeletal hands that had erupted from the floor while Ratbeard knocked him out.

El Toro struck the hand of the last Ninja Pig with his whip, causing him to drop his kunai_, _and Jack crept up behind the Ninja Pig to put him in a sleeper hold that produced unconsciousness in less than six seconds.

"Merciful Moodha! Thank you, priates - you have saved my life!" Mayor Komatsu said as Constable Tatami burst into the audience chamber, his katana drawn.

We explained to him what happened, and Constable Tatami said, "It is unbelievable! General Tso... has fostered the bandits who are terrorizing the countryside, and now he hires ninja?"

"This aggression will not stand! Doctor Noh must be brought to justice! He must reveal all he knows of General Tso's plans!"

"I assume the Yakooza know where Doctor Noh can be found... perhaps too much... but that is a matter for another day." Constable Tatami said as he sat cross-legged on the least-abused cushion, rubbing his chin.

"Seek out the Yakooza in their cave on Rokugara Island and discover how to end the threat the Doctor Noh and General Tso present!" Constable Tatami said quietly to me, and I nodded as I stood up to leave.

The _Santo Oro _sailed back to Rokugara Island, where Egg Foo Yung looked over his shoulder as we approached him inside the Yakooza cave. "You again! Why have you returned?"


	10. Chapter 10: Turnabout

**Samoorai Yak**

**Chapter Ten**

**Turnabout**

"So it is time then, to take the fight to Doctor Noh, General Tso's diabolical henchman? Excellent!" Egg Foo Yung said, rubbing his hands in satisfaction.

"But sir, what about the contract from the Ninja Pigs?" I asked, but Egg Foo Yung dismissed it with a wave of his hand. "Evidence is not enough! You must defeat and capture Noh, and force him to reveal what he knows, discrediting General Tso."

"Doctor Noh is aboard a flagship which is hiding in Tai Foon Vortex in Khotan Skyway. Seek him out - he will surrender, I'm sure. Then bring him to me." Egg Foo Yung said, and with that, we left for the _Santo Oro_.

Sailing to Tai Foon Vortex, Rena ordered the men to batten down the hatches and tie themselves down as we approached it, and we hung on tight as we passed through swirling winds.

The winds died down, and we got up to find ourselves in the eye of the vortex, with a giant junk the size of a man-o'-war in the center of the calm.

"Starboard battery, fire!" Emmett shouted, and eight heavy iron guns answered him as they struck the hull of the flagship. The enemy crew, having no cannons of their own, responded with arrows and gunshots.

"Where did they get those muskets!?" Rena asked, and I looked through my spyglass to see that the muskets were new, and not in the second-hand condition that suggested that they were scavenged off a battlefield or bought from foreigners.

"It doesn't matter now! Make ready!" I shouted, and the starboard battery hurried to reload as the _Santo Oro _came about.

"Riflemen, standby to return fire!" I shouted, and Bonnie led several men to the starboard bulkhead, armed with their rifles. "Fire!"

The starboard guns roared as they fired round shot, and the men shouted as we heard an almighty crack like a tree falling. "Her mainmast is down! We've got them over a barrel!"

"Prepare to board! We take her a prize, men!" Rena shouted, and the men roared in approval as they prepared the grappling hooks.

"Grappling hooks away!" The men shouted as we came about on the flagship's starboard side, throwing the grappling hooks onto her bulkheads.

"Hook us in! Bring her close!" Rena shouted as the men began pulling the flagship closer to us. "To arms! To arms!"

"Man the swivels! Cover from the quarterdeck!" Bonnie shouted as she fired her sniper rifle. Drawing our swords and leaving the pilot's wheel to Milo Graytail, Rena's first mate, we led the boarding party assembled on the weather decks onto the flagship.

A demonic-looking Goat wearing black robes was waiting for us on the deck of the flagship, and his hands were glowing green. "You have caused much trouble for my lord, but now I see you are just another bunch of Yakooza thugs. Soon you will stand powerless before me!"

The Goat that could only be Doctor Noh then fully covered himself in green energy, and he flew above the flagship.

"A glow worm?" I asked, and Rena answered, "I think the look he's going for is more glow dragon."

I then heard loud crackles coming from the deck of the _Santo Oro_, and I looked to see Nikolai flying on his staff like it was a broomstick, leaving a trail of blue electricity behind him.

As Nikolai and Doctor Noh clashed in the sky, the rival crews duked it out on the decks of the flagship, cutlass clashing against katana, and tomahawk clashing against _wakizashi_.

"Grenade!" Some of the _Santo Oro_'s crewmen shouted as they threw them down the hatches, and I heard explosions coming from below.

I then heard a loud shout coming from above, and I looked to see Nikolai smash Doctor Noh through all of the flagship's decks, and she now threatened to sink beneath us.

"Everyone, withdraw!" I shouted as I fired my pistol into the air and made a shooing gesture with my hand back to the ship, and they didn't have to be told twice to retreat to the safety of the _Santo Oro_.

A second later, Nikolai landed safely onto the deck of the Santo Oro, with an unconscious Doctor Noh slung over his shoulder. Being smashed through six thick layers of deck planking made of exotic hardwood by a master sorcerer would do that to you.

Nikolai then unceremoniously dropped Doctor Noh onto the deck. "It's over. Doctor Noh's been captured... We have to tell Egg Foo Yung."

We sailed back to the Yakooza's cave on Rokugara Island, where Egg Foo Yung was waiting for us at the hidden dock inside the cave.

"You've done it! You've captured the right-hand man of General Tso! Let me put him somewhere... I know just the place!" Egg Foo Yung said, and two of the burliest Yaks took him away to another part of the cave to be interrogated, while another took us to an overlooking ledge.

As my trusted associates and I looked over the ledge, Egg Foo Yung tied Doctor Noh down to a wooden chair as the Goat came to. "Egg! You were behind this? I humbly apologize for hiring the ninja who took your piece of Marco Pollo's map!"

"What!?" Rena whispered angrily, but I patted her shoulder to calm her down so we could listen to Doctor Noh, who pleaded, "Set me free, and I will return it to you! General Tso has it - he plans to trade it to the Armada for gold and guns!"

"General Tso plans on seizing the imperial city, ousting our sleeping emperor, and ruling all of MooShu for himself! If you set me free, I can get the map piece back and we can forget this ever happened!"

"But doesn't Egg have the map?" Ratbeard asked, and I answered, "We'll see about that."

We climbed back down to the mouth of the cave that was the interrogation chamber, where we crossed our arms in front of our chests and glared at Egg Foo Yung as he stepped out of the cave.

"Ah, I guess I have egg on my face. Matthew, I fear I have not been completely honest. I no longer hold a piece of Pollo's map, but we can recover it." Egg Foo Yung said.

Rena gritted her teeth as she put her hand on the hilt of her sword, but I held out an arm to stop her from doing anything stupid, and Egg Foo Yung said, "Now is not a time for blame, but for action! You must race to General Tso's lair on the isle of Khotan, defeat him... and take back the piece of Pollo's map!"

"Why, I ought to cook you...!" Rena said as she started towards Egg Foo Yung, but I grabbed her wrist to drag her away. "You heard what he said! Now's not the time!"

Rena reluctantly let the matter go, and we returned to the _Santo Oro _to set sail for the isle of Khotan.


	11. Chapter 11: Tso Not Ready

**Samoorai Yak**

**Chapter Eleven**

**Tso Not Ready**

"General Tso has quite the fortress here. This won't be easy!" Bonnie Anne remarked as we stood outside the gates.

"Who wants to live forever? Let's charge right in and get this over with!" Ratbeard said as he drew his cutlass. I nodded as I turned to signal the crew on the _Santo Oro_, and a gunnery officer shouted, "Fire!"

A broadside of eight guns crashed through the wooden gates of General Tso's fortress, catching the samoorai by surprise.

My trusted associates and I charged in to fight the small number samoorai not incapacitated by the hail of splinters from the gates, and Rena shouted, "Let's make this quick. The longer we mess around with Tso's lackeys, the more time he has to get ready!"

I ambushed a samoorai dueling El Toro from behind with a sleeper hold, and within six seconds, he was unconscious. I then shot another one with my pistol, and as I reloaded, I had to duck to avoid being decapitated.

We soon had all of the samoorai either unconscious or stunned on the ground, and Bonnie ran over to a set of wooden gates painted red to try and open them. "The gate - it's been barred from the inside!"

"Then we will scale the walls!" El Toro said, but Rena shook her head. "No, we'd never make it with any good handholds. We'll have to get Tso's own men to open it."

"Look yonder! The general's army is mustering there - bet they'll come running if we work some mischief over there!" Ratbeard said, pointing to a small islet connected to the main one by a wooden bridge.

Suddenly, cannon blasts rang out, and I was sent flying from the force of a cannonball hitting the ground near me.

As I got up in a slight daze, Bonnie shouted, "Look out! The general's already got his hands on Armada guns and powder!"

"Those would make Tso's army unbeatable!" I heard Rena shout, and Ratbeard answered. "Then let's take 'em away! That must be the armory there - let's blow it up!"

Luckily, General Tso's small artillery battery weren't very experienced, so we managed to reach their position before they could fire.

Overpowering the crew of the first gun, we quickly loaded it with round shot, turned it around, and fired, destroying another cannon.

Bonnie shot down a Bull about to fire the last gun with her sniper rifle, and the rest of the gun crew drew their katanas to engage us, which is a bad idea when the enemy has a loaded twelve-pounder aimed straight at you.

"We're wasting time! Let's blow up the armory and get on with it!" Bonnie said as we stepped over the bodies of the gun crew.

"This should do nicely. Now fire them and we'll be done!" Emmett remarked as we finished aiming and loading the two guns.

On a count of three, we lit the fuses of the cannons, and the wood of the armory stood no chance as it collapsed on itself. From a safe distance away, Bonnie aimed and fired at an exposed keg leaking gunpowder, and the remains of the armory exploded, taking the guns with it.

"Nicely done, Bonnie!" I said. We pushed the cannons over the edge of the islet and returned to the main one, where El Toro said, "It worked! The gate is open - now to battle!"

Samoorai poured out from the gate, and we pushed past them as we made our way, knocking out as many as we could.

"Artillery!" I shouted as I fired a salvo of blue energy missiles from the tip of my sword, covering the others as they ran past the gate.

As I ran to join the others, they closed the door and barred it with a large and thick plank, giving us a moment to breathe easy as Rena ran to check the inner gate.

"We'll need a key for this one! It's probably in the barracks!" Rena shouted to us as she pointed to a tall gray-shingled building in the courtyard.

Luckily for us, there weren't any samoorai inside the barracks, as earlier, they had all rushed at us, so we were free to turn the place upside-down for the key to the inner gate.

"Here's a key!" Ratbeard shouted a few minutes later. "Let's get back to the inner gate and put this matter to an end, shall we?"

We returned to the inner gates, where as we took a moment to reload all our guns, El Toro said, "General Tso has had time to prepare. His soldiers are loyal and desperate. Now the real battle begins!"

The doors burst open as we came inside General Tso's audience chamber, and the white Bull wearing green armor from Takeda Moomori's wedding was waiting for us with his katana drawn. "At last, I look upon my enemies."

"You have humiliated my vassals, broken my agreements, kidnapped my servants, and disrupted my rightful rule of this province." General Tso said.

"Now you unleash warfare in my lands and break into my very house! And what are you? Pirates! Your insolence shall be punished. Now."

General Tso then sheathed his katana. "If you will excuse me, I have important matters to attend to. Takeda! Avenge your dishonor!"

Takeda Moomori then stepped forward as he drew his katana, still wearing his bright pink lamellar armor. "Yes, lord! So, pirate scum, we meet again at last. You ruined my wedding and soiled my honor! Now you will pay!"

"And I bet the next thing you'll be blaming me for is your poor fashion sense! Who wears pink armor!?" I shouted as I parried his katana, and Takeda Moomori shouted in rage as he swung his katana again.

I smirked as I swung my leg in-between his legs, and Takeda Moomori shouted in pain as he crumpled onto the floor. To put him out of his misery, I shout him in the face, and I turned my attentions to the others.

El Toro had grabbed hold of a paper lantern with his whip, and he now swung around his opponent, smacking him all around the head with his foil until he finally was knocked unconscious.

Ratbeard and his opponent had a wooden pillar between them, and they lunged at each other as they danced around the pillar, trying hit the other with his sword.

Old Scratch froze a samoorai's feet in place to make it easier for him to knock him out, and Jack was engaged in a wrestling match with another samoorai for one of their swords.

Emmett stunned his opponents limbs one by one with his pistols before finally shooting him in the head, and Bonnie shot down a samoorai musketeer about to shoot Rena, who was busy with another samoorai.

"Where did General Tso go!?" I shouted as I looked around wildly for him, and El Toro answered as he landed next to me and pointed. "General Tso fled through that doorway - no doubt you will find the coward sniveling in his inner sanctum."

I nodded as I ran through the doorway to another room, where I stopped in my tracks as my eyes fell upon a Clockwork soldier, armed with a double-bladed battleaxe and a red-and-gold shield with a gear emblem.

The Clockwork stood a good head taller than me, and he wore a black three-cornered hat with golden hems and a red-and-gold domino mask over his face, which was featureless except for his hollow eyes, and black armor with gold designs.

"Here you are at last. I am Rooke, grand marshal of the Armada. You destroyed Deacon, my brother. I'd have thought that impossible." The Clockwork said.

"I should kill you where you stand. But, I will not have it said that when I crushed you - and I will crush you - that you were not at your best."

"I fear you're not worth the time. I have what you come for. I must see to its translation, and then I have urgent business in Marleybone."

Rooke then turned to General Tso, who had just stepped inside the room. "General Tso, our business is concluded. This pirate is yours to destroy... if you can."

General Tso nodded as he drew his katana, and Rooke casually walked past me. "Very well, I shall deal with you myself."

I drew my own swords and lunged towards him, but only succeeded in getting the tips embedded in General Tso's breastplate. "Heh heh... This is kind of embarrassing."

General Tso then swiped at my head with his katana, and I ran away screaming, slamming a sliding door shut behind me to try and lose him.

A few minutes of running in fear later, I stumbled upon a chicken sitting on a very plush cushion, who clucked at me, and I asked, not expecting it to answer, "Now what're you doing here?"

I then jumped as samoorai crashed through the walls, armed with katanas, bows, and muskets. I gulped as I drew a pistol and aimed it at the chicken's head, who seemed totally unperturbed by the muzzle of my pistol.

"Alright! Surrender or the chicken gets it!" I shouted, hoping I sounded a lot more confident that I felt.

General Tso then shoved aside two samoorai, and his eyes widened as he saw me aiming my pistol at the chicken's head. "No! Wait! Stay your hand, pirate! We may hate each other for eternity, but that poor, innocent creature must not suffer. I surrender."

_Wow, I can't believe that actually worked... _I thought as General Tso dismissed his samoorai, and I asked, "Where is Marco Pollo's map?"

"Marco Pollo's map? That is why you are here? The Armada has the piece, but they cannot use it without translating it." General Tso said.

"You may be able to recover the piece of Marco Pollo's map, but you must win it back from the Armada."

"No one in Khotan can translate the markings on the map, so the Armada agents must go elsewhere. The imperial governor will know where the Armada has gone.

"Go to the governor's hall in Hamamitsu, and explain to him what has happened. He will set you on the right course!"

I nodded as I holstered my pistol, and taking the chicken in my arms, I handed it gently to General Tso, who held it close to him like a child with their baby blanket or stuffed animal. It was either the weirdest or the most heartwarming thing I had ever seen.

I found my swords in the first room of General Tso's sanctum, and I entered the audience chamber, only for my eyes to widen in horror.

My trusted associates were scattered all over the room, and all of them were groaning in pain. I ran over to Rena, and held her in my arms. "What happened to you guys!?"

Rena coughed as she answered. "There was a Clockwork... I thought we could take him... I was wrong..."

"Oh no..." I said, cradling Rena in my arms. General Tso then appeared in the doorway with his pet chicken, and he ordered his men to carry my trusted associates back to the _Santo Oro _on stretchers.

Nikolai was already busy in the sickbay, healing the men injured from the battle with Doctor Noh with life magic, and I gently laid Rena in an empty hammock, having insisted on carrying her myself.

Nikolai sighed as he turned his attentions to her, rolling her shirt up so he could lay a glowing green hand on her bruised flat stomach, and I heard him murmur, "I wish Veronica was here..."

I sighed as I sat down on a nearby stool, and I held Rena's hand as I prayed for everyone to be alright as we sailed on to Hamamitsu.


End file.
